Golf bag



F. H. MOONEY June 4, 1929.

GOLF BAG Filed Jan. 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 4, 1929. F. H. MooNEY GOLF BAG Filed Jan. 15, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v l 4 1 l I l l Patented .lune d, i929.

anse

GOLF BAG.

Appucfi'mmL inea JanuaryA 15, 1927. serial No., 161,271.

My invention relates to improvements in golf bags and has for one object to provide a new and improved form of golf bag. wherein automatic means insure that the bag when released by the user will remain in upright position. Another object is to provide an automatic standard or support for the bag which goes' into operation when the operator l lets go of the handle or strap and holds thev Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through a modified form;

Figure 6 is a topA plan view of the form shown in Figure 5.

Like parts are indicated byv like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

A is a golf bag of fabric, leatheror otherr suitable material- It is closed at the bottom by a relatively rigid cap A1 of metal, leather, fiber or other` suitable material which may be riveted or otherwise suitably fastened to the lower lextremity of the bag body. A2 is a r rim at the upper open end of the bag. A*s is a bag shoulder strap attached at one end'to the bag intermediate its ends and to the upper end. A4 is a handle projecting from the side of the bag. y The bag is held in shape by a framework which in this case differs somewhat from the framework ordinarily used in connection with golf bags and the like. This framework comprises a plurality of upward-ly extending armsB which may be integral or if not integral suitablyA attached to the bottom A1. Thesearms upwardly converge and join in a sleeve B1 from which extends upwardly a central hollow tube B2. Threaded on this O0 tube is a T, B3, the branch of the T, B4, eX- tendi-ng diagonally upward to and terminating at the outer wall of the bag where it is attached to the wall by the flange B5. B6 is a central hollow shaft ext-ending from the other branch of the T upwardly to the top of the bag where it'carries a sleeve B7 which Aclined vtube E `bent at'Fi1 so that the hub,

in turn supports radial arms B8 yintegral with or otherwise suitably attached to the rim A?.

Slidably mounted in the tube B2 is a reciprocatingshaft C. This shaft extends out beyond the sleeve `B1 into the space enclosed 'by the arms B `where it is mounted on a reciprocating or slidable hub C1, there beinga coil. spring C2 interposed between the hub C1 and the sleeve B1. C3 C3 are a plurality of supporting arms each pivoted on its inner end to the hub C1 and each slidable in guide-v ways C4 in the base A1. These arms .C3 have ground contacting foot element-s C5 and when the hub C1 is in the downward position held there by the force of gravity or by theeoil spring` C2 these arms C3 are projected outwardly from*Y the bag and form a broad ground engaging support to hold the bag upright and prevent its tipping over. l

The upper end of the rod C terminates in a ring D'. `A chain D1 extends from 'this ring upwardly through the tube B? and supports the lower end of the handle A4. 'A chain D2l extends from the'ring D up through the vtube B9 out from the center of the bag and supports the upper end of the shoulder strap A?. D3 is a hook or latch onthe rim A2 so positioned that if the operator so desireshecan engage that hook with the end of the chain D2 and thereby hold the spring C2 in com-- pressed position and the hub C? in the upper position so that the bag can be handled and manipulated with the standard retracted into the bag just as if the bag were .the ordinary type.

.inthe modified form shown in Figure 5, there is substituted for the'tube B2 an intube or hollow rod element E2 terminates not at Vthe center of the bag at the top but at the side adjacent the handle, the result of this being that the bag instead of being supported by a strap at the center of the bag is supported at the side.

It will be ,understood that the golf 'clubs can be inserted into the bag in the space between the rim and the central sleeve and will be grouped around the hollow tube or backbone of the bag and will not in any way interfere with the operation of the devicel because the lower ends. of the Ihandles ofthe clubs will be held outvof contact with the hub or rim elements` by their engagement with the members B In the modified form shown in Figure 5, the hollow shaft is dispensed with. The bag has the ordinary frame made up of side ribs G G extending up from a base G1 to an upper ring G2. In this case the upwardly converging guard members G3 extend up from the bottom of the bag and support the upper end of a fixed pin G4 onV which slides a hub G5. Ground contacting arms G6 are pivoted to the hub G5 and a coil spring-is interposed between the hub G5 and the upper end of the pin so Vthat the operator is in the same position as in the preferred form except that the hub slides on the pin stead of traveling withit. The chain G7 extends from the hub G'up to the handle G and a similar chain*v up to the shoulder strap G8 so that the operation is the same.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

My golf bag is primarily intended for use by players who do not have caddies to carry their bags and avoids the necessity of laying the bag down and stooping over to select clubs or stooping over to pick the bag up.

The operator always carries theA bag through the strap over his shoulder or by holding the handle of the bag. In either case, the-strap or the handle tends to move toward the top of the bag and this exerts the tension on the connection which is preferably a chain, strap or rod inside the body of the bag between the handle and the shoulder strap at one end 'and the automatic stand mechanism at the other. The tension of this connection compresses the coil spring or overcomes the force of gravity as the case may be and withdraws the stand, locks back into the body of the bag so that when the bag is being carried it looks and operates just as an ordinary bag and this situation prevails just as long as the operator continues to holdit by the handle or by the strap. When the operator is about to put the bag down, he holds it by the body of the bag, the tension on the connecting mechanism is released and the weight of gravity or the weight of gravity plus the coil spring if that is used, thrusts the supportmg arms out from the bag to form a stand which insures that the bag when stood on theground in upright position will still remain.

If on the other hand the operator wants the stand to be permanently outrof operation he merely throws the latch which engages the chain on the hook so that the stand mechanism is held in the inoperative position independent of the manipulation of the handle or strap and this position prevails until'tlie chain is released. l

I claim:

l. The combination with a golf bag of a ground engaging support atthe lower end thereof, a handle and a shoulder strap, each associated with the upper end of the bag and connections between them and the support whereby tension on either the handle or the and connections between them and the arms whereby tension on either the handle or the strap will retract the ground engaging arms into the bag.

4. The 'combination of a golf bag of a frame comprising a central hollow shaft, a plurality of rigid arms associated with the lower end thereof, guideways carried thereby, ground vcontactingmembers slidable lin said guideways, a'central hub upon which their inner ends are pivoted, a rod slidable in the tube, supporting the hub at its lower end, supporting means associated with the upper end of the bag and a connection between said means and the rod whereby when the supporting means are used the rod will be moved upwardly to retract the ground contacting members.

5. The rcombination with a golf bag of a ground engaging support at the lower end thereof, a carrying means associated with the upper end of the bag, a tensional connection between said carrying means and said support adapted normally to withdraw'said support into inoperative position, when tension is exerted upon .said carrying'ineans, and means for moving said support into operative position when the tension upon said carrying means is released.

6. The combination with Va golf bag of` a ground engaging support at the lower end thereof, a carrying means associated with the upper end of the bag, a tensional connection between said carrying means and said support adapted normally to withdrawsaid support into inoperative position, when tension is exerted upon said. carrying means, and means for moving saidv support into operative position when the tension upon said carrying means is released, said support being substantially completely housedV within said bag ywhen in inoperative position.

7. The 'combination with a golf bag of a ground engaging support at the lower end thereof, a carrying means associated with the upper end of the bag, a tensional connection between said carrying means and said support adapted normallyto withdraw `said support into inoperative position whenytension is exerted upon said carrying means, said support including a plurality of radial elements, a central member to which said elements are pivoted and means for moving said support into operative position when the tension upon said carrying means is released, including yielding means for thrusting said central member downwardly toward the bag bottom.

8. The combination with a golf bag of a plurality of ground engaging supporting arms positioned at the lower end thereof, carrying means associated with the upper end of said bag and a connection between the carrying means and the arms whereby the arms are automatically retracted into the body of the bag when tension is exerted upon said carrying means, and Vpositive yielding means adapted to thrust the supporting arms into ground engaging, bag supporting position upon release of said tension.

9. The combination with a golf bag of a plurality of ground engaging supporting arms positioned at the lower end thereof, carrying means associated with the upper end of said bag and a connection between the carrying meansand the arms whereby the arms are automatically retracted into the body of the bag for substantially their entire length when tension is exerted upon said carrying means, and inea-ns for thrusting said arms outwardly fromthe bag when tension upon said carrying means is released including a yielding member operable to thrust said arms outwardly fromthe bag.

10. The combination of a golf bag of a frame comprising acentral hollow shaft, a plurality of rigid arms associated with the lower end thereof, guideways carried thereby, ground ycontacting members slidable in said guideways, a central hub upon which their inner ends are pivoted, a rod slidable in the tube, supporting the hub at its lower end, 'supporting means associated with the upper end of the bag and a connection between said means and the rod whereby when the supporting means are used the rod will be moved upwardly tov retract the ground contacting members, and locking means whereby the Arod may be locked in the upper position independent of the bag supporting means.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of illinois, this 28th day of December FRANK H. MooNnY. 

